Monday, July 9, 2012

Nats ready for All-Star spotlight

US Presswire photo

Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper will be front-and-center at the All-Star Game.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A handful of Nationals have drawn a cursory amount of attention over the years at the All-Star Game. Alfonso Soriano was a fairly big name at the 2006 All-Star Game. Dmitri Young made for a nice story in 2007. And Ryan Zimmerman fielded plenty of questions in 2009 (though most of those were about that morning's firing of manager Manny Acta).

Really, though, the Nationals' representative -- and it's almost always been one representative -- traditionally has sat on the sidelines and watched as the spotlight shined on plenty of other players from other, more-popular franchises.

That all changes today, because when the doors at Arrowhead Stadium swing open to media members looking to interview members of the National League All-Star team, a crowd will immediately assemble in whichever corner of the conference room officials decide to designate for the Nationals' delegation.

In a roomful of big names and big personalities, there may be no tandem of teammates more sought out than Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, each a first-time All-Star. Throw in the loquacious and effervescent Gio Gonzalez, making his second appearance in the Midsummer Classic, and the Nationals have suddenly gone from afterthought to center of attention on baseball's biggest stage.

Thus will kick off the Nationals' 48-hour national coming-out party, a chance for the rest of the sporting world to see what fans and media in D.C. have seen for three months: a first-place club that not only boasts talent but also boasts legitimate star power.

This marks the first time since their inaugural 2005 season in which the Nationals have sent more than one player to the All-Star Game. And they'll actually be able to claim four roster members as All-Stars, with shortstop Ian Desmond selected to the team but unable to attend due to a lingering oblique injury that requires significant daily treatment.

Who figures to draw a bigger crowd, Strasburg or Harper? The safe bet is on the 19-year-old, the youngest position player ever to be named an All-Star, who also happens to be comfortable in front of cameras and microphones.

Harper didn't expect to be here. He'd already made plans to fly home to Las Vegas following yesterday's first-half finale, only to find out he would be replacing injured Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton on the All-Star roster.

Strasburg will draw a sizable crowd himself, though most reporters will be disappointed by the 23-year-old right-hander's lack of charisma and ability to offer up sound bites on cue.

If anything, the most entertaining player wearing Nats gear will probably be Gonzalez, who loves nothing more than to talk up his teammates and has perfected the art of turning a question about his own accomplishments into reason to brag about someone else on the club.

No matter who says what, or who draws however many reporters to his table, the Nationals will be among baseball's most-discussed franchises these next two days. People will talk about Strasburg's innings limit and Harper's contributions at such a young age. They'll talk about the important roles Gonzalez and Desmond have played in leading this team to the best record in the NL. And they'll talk about this club's chances not only of making the postseason but of making a deep run through the postseason.

Better get used to it now, folks, because this is going to become the norm. The Nationals no longer operate out of the spotlight. They are smack dab in the middle of it all, a franchise that has finally arrived and can't wait to show off its prized performers over the next two days.

Just ordered the Desi All-Star jersey. I already have jerseys (not All-Star) for Gio, Stras, and Harper. Desi is my man (always has been, have a soft spot for shortstops all the way back to Louis Aparicio! 1959 White Sox, they lost in the WS.)

I am spending WAY to much money on my Nats!!! Gonna be a tight budget this winter, because there are those postseason tickets, y'know.

I love an update on our draft picks, I think Friday is the deadline to sign. I also would love an article on draft strategy with the new rules. I saw an article at si.com that noted a few teams drafted less than top talent in the rounds 7 to 10 and signed than for $1,000 (yes one thousand dollars) and then were able reallocate the savings elsewhere.

I am thrilled for our guys who are there, and the guys who are resting at home. I am thrilled these guys exist, and are doing so well. They make me smile every day. And thinking about all the fun Gio interviews makes me smile more. I hope the Kid gets a little down lime while he's there, and I wish Desi could be there in person. Maybe next year.

I'm proud of our All-Stars and also hope that the kid gets some down time. At least it sounds like he'll get to see his family.

Baby steps as far as the spotlight and non-hardcore-fan awareness. Yesterday, when we attended a game with my hubby's colleague, he was surprised when I informed him that the Nats held the best record in the NL. Sigh.

Wouldn't that be something if we got another starter from the Bally trade??? Balester was DFA'd on May 23 and as far as I can tell wasn't picked up by another team or assigned to a minor-league team. Is he sitting out the season or "retired," does anyone know?

The most impressive stat from the first four games as a starter is [Ryan] Perry's ability to not allow hits, with only eight surrendered in 16 2/3 innings.Perry is 1-1 with a 1.62 ERA in four starts, allowing just those eight hits, three runs, one home run, seven walks and 13 strikeouts.

I'd second your request for a draft update from our esteemed host, except I don't think much has changed lately, since reports that the Nats would have ~$3M to offer Giolito, or ~$900k over slot.

Mark could ask Rizzo etc. about the status of the negotiations, but I doubt he'd get much more than a "we're high on Giolito and are confident of signing him" kind of answer.

Giolito, btw, is one of only 4 top 20 picks to remain unsigned, which includes the balky Boras client, Mark Appel. The Nats have otherwise signed all their picks from the first 14 rounds, per baseball america.

That would indeed be something, but I'm very skeptical. Remember, this is at AA, and they have yet to really stretch him out--he's only going about 4 inn. per start, and giving up a lot of walks relative to the level of the competition.

Agree it's a long shot on Perry, don't think it would happen this year. However, even if he doesn't cut it as a starter and has to go back to the bullpen, still seems like we are winners on that trade.

Hypothetical: if it were still possible, would you offer Giolito a major-league contract? It might be the incentive that would bring him to sign, but he's so young, that's a long time to occupy a spot on the 40-man roster. New CBA precludes the offer, but I wonder...

Cain to start the ASG. Mets fans are bent, but I think it's the right decision if TLR wants to win the game, with Posey as Cain's battery-mate. Then you bring in Dickey or Gio (lefty) depending on who is up for the AL. Then Stras for an inning and go from there.

As for Ballester, he is still tweeting about Toledo Mud Hens in the AAA All-Star Game. He is on the Mud Hens' active roster, but not the Tigers' 40-man anymore. He is 0-1 with a 3.77 ERA, and last pitched 3 days ago.

It's amazing that with such a young team the worst "scandal" we've had his Harper bopping himself with a bat (and CMW's adventure in Florida). No DUI's, cocaine, racist remarks, fights in bars, etc., etc. (That we know of). A little to much chawing, but Davey does it, so there you are. Hopefully the "character choices by Rizzo", the vets, Desi, and the excitement of a pennant race are enough to keep the young 'uns out of trouble.

With over 75 PA's, Jayson Werth still leads the Nats with a .372 OBP, and #2 is a tie with Wilson Ramos and Bryce Harper at .354 OBP.

The Nats starting lineup actually now ranks #10 of the 16 NL teams in OBP. Jesus Flores has really fallen off the table with a .273 OBP. I think Solano has to get 2 days a week in playing time going into the 2nd half.

I am hearing Stras will probably not go more than 170 innings. If Stras stays at his 5 2/3 innings pace that would take him into his final start on Sept 19th unless they creatively find a start he could skip getting him into Sept 24th which would mean he would only miss 1 start on Sept 29th almost getting him through the entire season.

I agree about Flores. After being out for about 2 years he played an entire winter league season and has been thrust into playing 6 days a week in extreme heat. I think that his bat at least has really slowed. The question re Solano is: 'is he up to playing a major role on a pennant contender?' I dunno.

I haven't seen much of Leon; his bat is on fire at AA and I thought he was higher on the Nats overall pecking order than Solano. I defer to posters who have actually seen him catch to comment on his receiving and throwing.

I agree about Flores. After being out for about 2 years he played an entire winter league season and has been thrust into playing 6 days a week in extreme heat. I think that his bat at least has really slowed. The question re Solano is: 'is he up to playing a major role on a pennant contender?' I dunno.

I haven't seen much of Leon; his bat is on fire at AA and I thought he was higher on the Nats overall pecking order than Solano. I defer to posters who have actually seen him catch to comment on his receiving and throwing

I don't have a clue on Leon. Flores is fading in the heat. He looks like he has lost weight. His energy level is down. His at-bat in the 9th was worse than Ankiel from the left-side.

Where was DeRosa yesterday for the 9th?

I am hoping 4 days off for Flores will rejuvinate him.

NatsLady @ 11:41, no doubt Ank is injured. He can't even throw like he used to. With Corey Brown on the 40 man, you would have hoped they could have made the move a while ago. I think they are waiting to activate Chad Tracy and put Ank on the DL.

Re Stras. I thought about that too. I think that if the Nats find a spot or 3 to skip him it may just work. Can you imagine if he makes it through the entire year and we have to sit him down for the playoffs? talk about controversy.

Ideally; we stretch our lead to the point we can really do some shenanigans in September and the the whole point will be moot.

Just a week ago everyone was posting on how much depth we have in catching and that may still be true but quantity does not always translate into quality and I am not positive we have enough major league ready catchers to do the job.

Having said that I would like to see much more of Solano; maybe he really is the solution. I don't know.

The vibe I got on him was he's the funny, goofy guy at your work who takes it to the point where you can't focus on your job when you want to.

You know it; but it's really hard to say "cool it, please" to a nice guy, which by all accounts Balester is. Like Livo (the current Livo) he's fine and fun off the field or on a .500 team that's going nowhere, but in a pennant race he just doesn't fit. Luckily, your GM solves the problem.

NL, I had a similar impression, in that I felt his focus seemed to be more on ingratiating himself with fans than on his craft. But he seemed to pull it together and get more serious with time. (Again, just my "outsider" impression. :-))

Solano has shown a lot, IMO, since he's been up, but that's part of the package when you have really young guys at the top level--they are making certain mistakes for (hopefully) the last time, right in front of you. If Ramos and Flores were both healthy and here, there'd be no discussion of Leon, Maldonado, Solano, or catching depth issues, somebody would still be fretting the loss of Norris, somebody else would be talking up whatever A or AA catcher they just read about and wanting him called up, and Hill would be in somebody else's system.

Thanks for the MASN story link, 1a, though they don't mention tearing up the MASN deal" as an option; maybe the idea is that if the MLB panel does award the Nats something like their $100MM figure, and since the O's get the same according to the contract, then if that happened, MASN can't possibly pay that, and would go bust, necessitating a new agreement. Not my area of expertise by a longshot, but that's the only thing I can think of. Otherwise, I can't imagine how MASN, or this deal, just goes away.

Sorry Ghost but there's no way they don't find room for Corey Brown and I'm still betting on better makeup clubhouse and better performer Zach Duke over LanNeN,

I see Nady rehabbing ... he would replace Tyler Moore ... that might happen ... yet again ... with Werth returning. And its going to be a pathetic hitting lineup because you look at Werth's batting average after a SMALL sample size of game. Its going to bad after the same wrist again I expect he could end up hitting like Koyie Hill after a table saw cut off some of his fingers. Thrown in Nady ... its going to be pathetic unless they start going with the younger players who can actually hit.

Corey will be here for sure in September and will again have a chance to show us he belongs.

Davey hates a pathetic offense. And if Corey Brown continues to hit and hit XBH's not just homers as he has I can't see Davey not asking for him before September. If both Werth and Nady are both pathetic offensively it opens a path for Moore and Marerro on the right side perhaps. Brown is the best replacement for Ankiel. The problem is with Morse and Werth in the outfield there's no room for Brown and it puts Harper in CF. Eventually, as he gets older and grows some more like his brother he is going to grow out of CF.

Brown has proven he is ready. And in ST 2012 Davey said they wouldn't be looking outside for help in CF if Brown did what he was capable of. Its happening so its time to call him up.

I think Nady will go the way of Lidge. I do not see any way they can justify playing him over Moore.

Werth is another story; like it or not we are committed to him for 5 more years after this one at mega dollars per. They are not kicking him to the curb. Having said that there is really no room for Brown to play every day without trades/changes and therefore he's better off playing every day in Syracuse; I too am a fan of his potential and I do feel there's a strong chance he makes the team and everyday lineup next year (probably means good bye to ALR).

Zach Duke - Sorry I have seen his game for years; no worse than Lannan but not a heck of a lot better either.

If Ramos and Flores were both healthy and here, there'd be no discussion of Leon, Maldonado, Solano, or catching depth issues,

Solano, Leon, AND Freitas are why they could think about trading a Flores. Now, with Ramos injury, it might end up the other way around. He now becomes like the guy he was once blocked by: Maurer.

Solano projects as a potentially great backup catcher. Both Sandy Leon and David Freitas project as potential starters with Freitas likened to Derrick Norris. Freitas will be in Harrisburg next season. Leon in Syracuse. Solano either in Syracuse or in the majors. Ramos and Flores TBD.

Maldonado and especially Koyie Hill represent the strong veteran defensive catching presence. Hill is likely the guy they call if another injury occurs as opposed to Maldonado. Hill doesn't weigh 290 pounds like Maldonado and is in excellent shape. But, thanks to a freak accident where he almost lost some fingers on his throwing hand he's had problems with the bat (not throwing).

If you need a guy to steady the pitching staff and get you to the playoffs Koyie Hill would be the one given another injury. He's Crash Davis except maybe a lot better.

Zach Duke - Sorry I have seen his game for years; no worse than Lannan but not a heck of a lot better either.

On his way to the IL All Star game against the PCL along with Corey Brown. Plus 3B Carlos Rivero was added.

Rizzo and the FO did a nice job picking up both veteran depth (Duke, Teahen, Paul) and another potential top prospect, and young at 23 at third base in Rivero. They now have lots of depth at third base when Rendon comes back ... Carlos Rivero, Anthony Rendon, Zach Walters, and Matt Skole (albeit it seems like he gets moved to first base at some point). Plus there's Mark Teahen for the veteran backup slot.

Adding Tyler Moore to the outfield makes the Nats very deep there as well with 5 tool players Corey Brown and Erik Komatsu to go with Moore. Then there's Brian Goodwin, Hood, Perez, Rahl, Taylor, Burns, Ramsay, and Keyes.

At shortstop the closest thing they've got to Desmond and Espinosa is Jason Martinson.

At second base they're good with guys like Lombardozzi, Kobernus and Hague.

At first base ALR, Tyler Moore, Chris Marerro, Michael Morse, and Matt Skole. They need a power hitting left-handed prospect here. They only have Skole at this point and they have him playing the hot corner. If I had to guess I would say that would be the purpose of an upcoming trade. To get a left-handed, reasonably athletic, good fielding power bat at first base in the form of a prospect or high-ceiling young major leaguer.

On the 13th this past draft will be chalked up as a failure. If the Nats do win their division and get into the playoffs its going to be even tougher with a tighter draft cap next season. Trades are going to happen but not for veterans on their last legs ... for high-ceiling prospects.

What do people project for Marrero if he was given 500 ABs? I just don't see him as an everyday player or frankly even a valuable bench piece. He is very limited defensively (1B only), might be the slowest player in the organization, doesn't have a ton of pop, and hits right-handed.

To answer my own question he's probably a .250/.320/.390 guy with about 15-20 HRs. That's not much production from a 1B, and a mediocre fielding one at that.

That's a lot of names Peric and very few of these will ever see the inside of a big league ball park without purchasing a ticket. That's not a knock on the farm system just reality of the long odds in making it to the bigs.

Ghost of peric, how did it feel when you offed yourself after seeing John Lannan called up to make the spot starts in the doubleheaders against the Braves and Marlins while Corey Brown and International League All Star Zach Duke languished in Syracuse?

Hey Firm Possession –No one is guaranteed to become a “star” in the major leagues. Just ask Todd Van Poppel (Braves would have taken him over Chipper if he didn’t beg them not to draft him) or Kris Benson (1st overall pick in 1996). Being a start is hard.

BTW - On a another topic, for those upcoming doubleheaders, the Nationals will be able to bring up a pitcher to make a spot start without having to make a roster move. Part of the new CBA includes a 26 man to the roster for such things.

Adding Tyler Moore to the outfield makes the Nats very deep there as well with 5 tool players Corey Brown and Erik Komatsu to go with Moore.

Komatsu is not a "five tool player." He just isn't. A five tool player can (1) hit for average; (2) hit for power; (3) run (speed/baserunning ability); (4) throw; (5) catch.

Komatsu is, at best a four tool player - he doesn't have power. He only has 27 HRs in five minor league seasons, an no extra base hits at all in the majors. He can put the ball in play and take a walk, but he's simply not a five tool player. That doesn't mean that he isn't a decent (not great) prospect or that he has no ML future, however.

On a another topic, for those upcoming doubleheaders, the Nationals will be able to bring up a pitcher to make a spot start without having to make a roster move. Part of the new CBA includes a 26 man to the roster for such things.

But it has to be someone from the 40-man roster. Sorry, Zach Duke. But don't cry, you can still polish your IL All Star trophy that night.

On another topic, watching Michael Morse play RF over the weekend, it looked to me as if the Rockies were running on him at every opportunity. Is his injury still to the point that he can't make a decent throw from the outfield at all? I have to wonder if, despite his two year contract, Rizzo doesn't look to shop him to an AL team and go with some combination of Moore, Marrero or others in the coming years at first base if ALR is not brought back in 2013. Just asking........

Tcostant said... Hey Firm Possession – No one is guaranteed to become a “star” in the major leagues. Just ask Todd Van Poppel (Braves would have taken him over Chipper if he didn’t beg them not to draft him) or Kris Benson (1st overall pick in 1996). Being a start is hard.

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About the Author

Mark Zuckerman has covered the Nationals since the franchise arrived in D.C. He's been a member of the Baseball Writers' Association of America since 2001 and is a Hall of Fame voter. Email mzuckerman@comcastsportsnet.com.